Christmas time found Draco and Harry staging a coup for the second year in a row, when they insisted on Christmas at school, but it seemed to have caught on. The Weasleys were home this year, but the twins had decided to stay. Heck even Pansy was, she had turned down a chance to spend the holiday in Aruba as usual, Hermione would be at school. The two officially began dating, her mother more upset that Hermione was a middle class muggle born then the fact she was female, but Hermione won out. The couple had come to see Pansy before leaving, and found Hermione charming and incredibly gifted, and approved of her. The girls were only twelve, there was a chance it was only puppy love, but the Parkinsons would not protest.

Harry won out, he convinced his Uncle to invite Severus to join them for the holiday, and to their delight, he said yes. Severus was more then aware Lucius was part, but he seemed to have decided he spent enough years hiding from the holiday, and to come. There was a time when the holiday had once been his favourite.

Lucius was surprised when Severus came in with Remus. "I am surprised you came. I had hoped to see you here"

Severus looked at Remus and the boys. "I wanted to celebrate the holiday with family for once. It has been fifteen years."

Lucius was reminded of the last Christmas, he never forgot, and was never sure he would. He could not deny he had happy since, spending them with the boys, being a dad and Uncle were his only happiness, his one part of his old self. He looked at the boys, knowing they were so close, and would do all he had to, to make them happy. He had always made it clear to his son, no matter his mother's meddling; he would allow Draco to live life he dreamed of.

Harry popped over. "Professor Snape, you're just in time, we were going skating. Uncle Luc is turning the lake into an ice rink for us."

Draco nodded. "You know how to skate don't you? If you forgot, I am sure one of us can teach you. There will be others who don't."

A memory flashed to his mind, of when they had been kids, and had all the holidays at the manor. Skating was a hobby wizards and muggles both enjoyed, and in the days before a pool was added to the manor, there were always fountains. There was a skating party for the kids, on Christmas Eve, before the formal ball. Severus was three when he first learned to skate, on the fountain of the muses, on the Malfoy lands. It was one of his last happy memories, even though seventeen, they had a teen skating party and bonfire the day Narcissa was stabbed. He remembered him and Lucius colliding, and when they got up, actually kissed in public.

Remus saw he was suddenly lost in his thoughts. "You know boys; Professor Snape has not had the chance in years. He may prefer to stay inside."

Severus shook away the memory. "I think I can remember. If anyone laughs though, I will remember to deduct points, the next chance I get."

He could see the surprise in Sirius, but the happy smiles on the other two and the boys, he would come skating. Sirius was all behind Lucius winning the man back if he could, he had reminded him often about sore knees, but he had not expected this. Severus seemed to have grown a backbone, where he would have once run away from confrontation; he now seemed to have more spirit. Then again, Sirius reminded himself, Severus was never one to allow Lucius to get away with it all. He may have never hexed people back, and preferred being alone in a lab to a public situation, but he always held his own with Lucius.

The other kids were outside, and as promised there was a skating rink waiting for them on part of the lake, borders up to protect from the rest of the lake. Spells were used on boots to make skates, and soon the kids were off gliding around the rink.

Remus came to his side when he was a bit shaky. "I am surprised you came, but happy. I remember how much you liked to skate."

Severus nodded. "Christmas was one of the few times mum would come to the manor, she usually sent me alone. Between dad, and her memories."

He had loved his mother a lot, Eileen had been a good woman and mother, but she never had the courage to leave her husband. Abraxas would have helped, she and his beloved wife were best friends, but she just could not do it. She had sent her son to the manor as often as she could, ever since the first time her husband had turned his fury from her, on their son. Severus knew better then most, the fear which drove Draco to claustrophobia and bed wetting when little, he knew it first hand. Lucius' mother was almost half his dad's age, they married for love, his second marriage. Eileen and Helen were like sisters, and her death, made it hard for Eileen. She came though for special occasions, her son's birthday always at the manor, and at Christmas, where she helped to teach him to skate.

Severus never thought of the man until now. "I never knew what happened to HIM."

Remus surprised him. "He died, drunk driving, when we were twenty. He had lost the house and his job."

The man had not protested when Abraxas came with his attorneys, demanding custody of Severus, he was happy to be rid of him. Abraxas would have taken him sooner, but Eileen refused to leave, and he would not take her son from her. Remus saw the newspaper article, big news, he had killed a family in the other car. He left out that detail, Severus had come out to try and regain the holiday, and he didn't need that detail.

Severus was brought from his thoughts and laughed when he fell on his ass hard. "I remember this side of skating all too well."

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Lucius had watched the two skate, and as hard as he tried not to be, he was a bit jealous. He was reminded of the day of quidditch, and accusing Remus of having a crush, and he wondered for a moment if it was returned. He shook away the thought, the two had been friends since they were eleven, nothing more. Remus had been the one there when Severus was on trial and when he was released, and it made them closer then ever. Remus may have feelings for Severus, but Lucius was sure they would not be returned, not the same way. Severus was hurt and betrayed, there was no denying he had every right to be, but he would come back.

Lucius watched as Severus moved to sit down on one of the benches summoned, and headed his way, the skating idea had been no accident. He had hoped it may draw him out, though Sirius reminded Lucius that the man avoided the holiday for years, and he would need to try harder.

Lucius summoned some hot chocolate and sat down. "White hot chocolate with a cinnamon stick and two marshmallows."

Severus looked up and took the cup but added. "Don't think reminding me of our childhood, and my favourite drink, will help."

He always spent some time home when his mom was alive, and she had done her best, but money was always short. She always bought white hot chocolate, her husband hated it, and would not use it to mix cheap booze with. They had to ration marshmallows, one each she said, but would always slip hers into his. Around holidays she would find a few extra sweets, including cinnamon. Severus always had a proper holiday later at the manor, but it stayed with him.

Lucius looked at the boys. "Sirius and I have a bet going on how longtill our sons hook up. We were younger when we did, but they are a lot like us."

Severus didn't look at him. "Hopefully not too much, I wouldn't want either Harry or your son, to suffer."

The boys were both a mix of them really, but if anything, Draco was more like Severus then his dad. Oh he was confident and smirky, and could pull pranks, but he also had a reserved side to him, a side born from abuse, his better hidden. Severus knew Lucius beat himself up for it, now knowing what his son had endured.

Severus smiled. "He came to me last year, to say he believed me innocent, and reminded me so much of your dad. It seems truer every day."

Lucius agreed. "I wish he had lived to know Draco, he would have been so proud. He would have had two family members he could be proud of."

He knew he was talking about him, Lucius didn`t think his dad was proud of him, and when it came to the last fifteen years, he could be right. Severus remembered the note in the potions text, calling him son, and saying how proud he was of Severus. Severus may have lacked the Malfoy charm, but he did have a lot in common with Abraxas, and the man had nurtured it. He had never realized, not until the past year, there was a part of Lucius who was jealous.

Severus looked at him out of the corner of his eye. ``He took me in because I needed a home, but you were his son. He loved you, like you love Draco.``

Lucius sighed. "I know, I was so upset over you, and I let my anger blind me. I wish I had realized before he died."

He had lost so much with his dad, his father suffered his stroke after a hug fight, when Lucius was walking out on him. He had thought his dad was faking, and had gone drinking, and it was in a cheap hotel room Sirius found him the next morning. In part it was the reason he married the bitch, he blamed himself for the attack, and for his dad's stroke. He had stopped going into the room, because his dad pled with him to help Severus, or at least not marry the woman.

Severus stood to go and join the boys. "Your father was a good man, a better one then me. I have no doubt he forgave you long ago."

Lucius watched him skate off and agreed with him. "But it isn't his forgiveness I need. I will answer to the old man one day."

He watched Harry and Draco with Remus, Severus and the twins as well, making a snow fort, and wanted to be Remus. It should have always been them, Draco should have been his son with Severus, and maybe his dad would have seen Draco at the very least. He could not change the past, but he would have a future.

Sirius had come over and clapped him on the back. "If you plan to beat Moony to his heart, I would be getting over there now."

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Christmas morning found them all, including Severus who was again convinced to appear, around the tree in his and Sirius' guest rooms. The boys were busy ploughing into their gifts, and Severus actually had a smile the entire time, for once allowing himself to enjoy this. Lucius noticed the small pile for Severus, a few from his co-workers, and one form Horace, even one from the boys. There was one unopened, and he knew why, it was his own.

He was about to go over, when Remus did, and sitting down on the hearth with Severus, handed him his own gift. Severus handed him his own, and the smile on Severus' face grew more. Lucius again felt a pang of jealousy, wishing he could inspire such a smile from Severus, but he would with time.

Remus saw Lucius looking and he squeezed Severus' hand. "I'm going to see how my cub liked his present."

Severus knew why he was vanishing. "Traitor."

There was such easy humour between those two, but Lucius would get it back with him, he knew it would take time. Malfoys were called stubborn for a reason, and as he moved towards Severus, seeing the small portion of unicorn horn Remus managed to get Severus, he reminded himself again.

He took Remus' spot and pointed at the package. "You know It won't explode or something. It isn't potions ingredients, but I hope you approve."

Severus picked it up and started to unwrap. "Thanks."

He knew Severus probably thought he bought out a store to impress him, and in truth he had refilled his stocks, but this was his attempt at sentiment. Severus was surprised when he found a muggle inspired mug, a scarf and a framed picture. It was the picture Draco saw the pendant, Abraxas with his two sons, the last happy Christmas. The mug was a copy, Severus had one as a little boy from his mom, which his dad broke. The scarf was like one she tried to knit her son one year.

Lucius reached out and ran a hand down his face. ``I can`t change the past, but there were happy times too. I will prove to you, we are meant to be together. ``